This responsive project was created for #ClimateDisrupted, a climate change art festival held in Philadelphia under CUSP (Climate Urban Systems Partnership). Through CUSP I was introduced to Daniel Bader, a research analyst with the Center for Climate Systems Research at Columbia University. One of the surprising things I discovered in our conversations was the concern for our food crops. Our region is well known for corn and the volatility we are experiencing in weather is going to have repercussions. In Corn EMO, I imagine corn gradually morphing into a plant with communication skills, able to sense future weather forecasts. The corn does this communication through the silk on its forming cobs—yellow indicating clear weather and blue indicating rain. This is an Arduino project and through WiFi the corn actually gathers data on the next day’s forecast in order to create the LED color through the corn’s fiber optic silk.

Future Possibilities

We are already seeing robotic farming and the use of sensors. Although sensors are used to check moisture at different root levels separate from the plant, it would be interesting to hack a plant with embedded technology. Could corn protect itself from parasites or engage protection in severe weather by triggering certain actions? We are also at the point of using micro cameras in pills to monitor the human body, and I think it would be interesting to look at plants this same way. Imagine one seed in every pack with biotech.

This installation was part of an educational program for CUSP (Climate & Urban Systems Partnership) at Mill Creek Farm in Philadelphia. Like many cities, Philadelphia sits on rivers which were capped to become storm sewers. Part of the educational piece for this project was for students to take a bus tour and see the beginning of Mill Creek a few miles outside the city, and follow it until it disappears under the city and then later reappears along the Schuylkill River. This particular neighborhood suffered the collapse of homes built on land over the storm sewers and Mill Creek Farm was formed to help reduce stormwater run-off. The students created a giant representation of Mill Creek weaving and knotting strips of recycled jeans through a fence. This not only celebrates the origins of the neighborhood, but also reminds people about the importance of minimizing run-off.

Future Possibilities

Although denim is a solid sustainable choice for this project, it would be more helpful to use the art as a barometer for conditions. For instance, using cloth treated with hydrochromatic ink would allow the piece to change color in the rain. A more sophisticated version could actually use nanotech fabric that is programmed to monitor the underground river still running under Philadelphia. Color changes in the fabric would correspond to water depth levels. Of course my dream would be to have the ability to measure for specific types of radiation due to fracking and nuclear power in water. This art installation could serve as a community first alert system for poor water quality. Imagine fabric that turns bright green to indicate radioactive water

This umbrella was inspired by Bladerunner and features a FLORA microcontroller and a color sensor. The owner can hold the sensor to a swatch of clothing and the Neopixel strips will match the color of the fabric. Of course people are most excited by the changing rainbow pattern, although the umbrella can also mimic a rain storm. One of the most challenging aspects of this project was figuring out the best way to conceal the electronics, yet maintain the waterproofing of the fabric. I opted for clear vinyl hammocks for the microcontroller and battery, which are able to fold onto themselves in the same fashion as the hood of the umbrella. This project was the winner of the Adafruit and Element 14 Wearables Challenge and forced me to accept that I was addicted to electronics. I started freelancing for Adafruit and created a tutorial for this very project, which includes a video by wearable tech star, Becky Stern. In order to change modes for the umbrella, I included a glowing button located on the base of a 3D printed handle. For the sake of simplicity, the tutorial dispenses with the new handle and merely incorporates a small push-button on the microcontroller, which also gets a shift to a pouch on the bottom of the umbrella.

Future Possibilities

The first use that comes to mind for this technology is biomimicry—the chameleon effect. The military is always in search of a better way to camouflage their troops and everyone wants to have Harry Potter’s Cloak of Invisibility. A color sensor is a rather simplistic way of capturing a single color, but most likely you would need a camera to translate the surrounding environment to a controller that could render colors to RGB LEDs or the pigment of nanotech fabric. Certainly both of these options are expensive for now, but in the future nanotech seems both lightweight and less complicated.

What about camouflaging buildings or translating a swatch of color to your home’s paint? I don’t mean matching a paint chip at a store; I’m referring to the ability to update your home’s paint scheme immediately with a special paint. You could change the trim, siding and door colors to match colors of your fave photo or color palette, perhaps even with an app. There are already companies working with nano paint and in time we may be able to customize our homes by the season or holiday. Better yet, the paint color may be used to help moderate the temperature of the home—sun reflecting colors for the summer and sun absorbing colors for the winter.

This project was a LandLab residency at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education marrying art and science. My subject was stormwater run-off at the Center, and I invited Steve Hicks from Stroud Water Research Center to be my partner. Like me, Steve has a love of Arduino and has been experimenting with water monitors for quite some time. With his guidance, I was able to construct a monitor that would read changes in water depth, as well as temperature, humidity and conductivity. The monitor is capable of relaying the information to the internet in real time, making it handy to track storm events.

Part of the LandLab quest is to mitigate the issue, which is not easy when you find an entire ravine being carved out of the side of a hill from stormwater run-off. I decided to make large burlap snakes stuffed with coir, wood chips and stones that would act as water bars. Additional moss tattoos were added to the snakes as part of the experiment, which of course would compost with the rest of the materials over time. The materials were purposely chosen to enrich the soil in breakdown, making it friendly for microbes.

It was interesting to learn how water from storms quickly changes the stream level, yet also reverts back quickly. Without monitoring devices it is hard to see this effect. Although I had originally hoped to write a tutorial for the monitor build of this project, one of the main boards was discontinued. However, Stroud created its own board called The Mayfly, which will simplify DIY water monitoring devices for environmentalists and citizen scientists. So, I hope to now re-build the current monitor on site with the new board and assist with a tutorial for Stroud. Another change that will be made is to increase the size of the solar panel on the unit, as the power sometimes runs out. This can be due to leaf cover in the spring, or just the weather conditions. It takes months to test features in the field and we are still also working on a way to get to the internet as stream beds are usually found in depressions, making it difficult to get to a signal. An antenna on a nearby building was not able to connect and there is also no cell phone signal available. We will most likely need to post a small station nearby to act like a middleman to get the signal out. For now, we are able to change out the data card with the info.

Check out my audio interview which gives more detail, as well as photos and closing notes. I remain excited about this project because it is in one of Philadelphia’s most crucial parks in the watershed and also because it is helping to make water monitoring an affordable option for those that need it the most.

Future Possibilities

Although environmental monitoring is happening, it remains expensive. A typical sensor for water can cost $10K–I actually held one in my hands that was like the Porsche of electronics with a brushed nickel finish! I should add this didn’t even include the board it needs to connect to for logging and power, which tend to be proprietary. Places like Stroud and Public Lab have been working on open source DIY systems to meet the citizen science needs of the world. These new models can be done for a few hundred dollars or less, depending on objectives for sensing. So, any additional work to reduce costs or simplify construction would be my first goals.

Something that is most disturbing about water for me is the newer threat of radiation. This remains relatively a silent issue and is rarely discussed unless there is a nuclear disaster. However, aging nuclear power plants and negligent disposable of waste water, including that from cancer treatment centers, creates opportunities for contamination. Fracking also uses a radioactive tracker in its process and releases naturally occurring radiation from the earth, so there is even more potential for radiation in our drinking water. Not only are there multiple sources of contamination, but there are different types of radiation like Iodine-131, Cesium-134 and Cesium-137. Most places are not equipped to test, and it is expensive. Complicating matters is the EPA’s levels of acceptable exposure, which keep changing. So, one of my dream projects would be to draw attention to the problem of say, Iodine-131, by testing levels in water and translating it to an art project. Better yet, I would want to be part of a team to create an affordable means of sensing different types of radiation. This would be following in the success of Safecast, an open source citizen science project which allows people to build radiation monitors for air quality and map levels. DIY testing allows people to skip the politics, find their own truths and make their own decisions.

For NASA Space Apps Challenge NY, I assembled a large team and together we created the Senti-8 scentband. This band “allows astronauts to smell the scents they miss on Earth, while those on Earth can share the scents they love”. Inspired by astronaut Doug Wheelock, who actually missed the smell of soil while on the space station for an extended journey, the band uses International Emojis to represent classes of scents, while an e-vapor device allows the scent to be directed through a 3D printed cone. For our prototype, a Neopixel strip controlled by a FLORA microcontroller illuminated scent choices. We also showed the potential for sharing scents with two people in different areas using a phone app and BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy). Not only did this project place first in NY, it went on to compete at the International level and also received an honorable mention from a separate Kennedy Space Center Wearables competition. Check out more information, as well as our fun process blog on the Senti-8 site.

Future Possibilities

As a team we were already considering the potential for a scent marketplace where people would be able to upload, as well as purchase scents. This product is being considered for patent application.

This fuzzy web was created during the week I spent at Shakerag Workshop WV, with Leah Buechley, inventor of the Lilypad Arduino. Delighted by the round shape of the Lilypad, I envisioned a musical instrument that would take advantage of its spokes. Luckily I had discovered that there was also a thicker version of conductive thread—conductive yarn! The result was a spider’s web that uses capacitive touch to trigger 8-bit sounds. Shakerag encourages collaboration and I managed to learn felting from a classmate that I used for the center of the web, which acts as a hatch to hide the microcontroller. I also was able to scout out some non-conductive yarn that had been naturally dyed by another class there for the main spokes. One of the most interesting discoveries I made on the final presentation of our projects is that not everyone could produce notes from my web. It was a baffling problem until I compared hands of the two people that were having problems. One was an elderly man with extremely dry hands, and the other was from a young girl that also suffered from dry hands; with a little moisturizer they were able to play. It was a great learning experience and many in our class still continue to experiment with tech.

Future Possibilities

One of the challenges working with conductive thread or yarn is the resistance. The longer the length, the less likely it will be to carry the electricity needed, much like a cable box connecting to a TV. I would love to do a large installation of this piece in a park where everyone could produce music together with large speakers jamming electronic riffs or nature sounds. However, first I would need yarn with better conductivity and the time to create knitted or crocheted pieces which would appear thick enough for the size of the web. With some LEDs and solar power this could be a Burning Man contender.

On a more day-to-day level, it would be fun to take the traditional beaded room curtains and use them as home musical devices. As a person passes through, they would make a noise. Or perhaps one day they will serve as artistic locks for door entry systems. By squeezing certain cords you gain entry.

Element 14 was interested in featuring a Valentine’s inspired project, so tired of the normal candy, I decided to place a Raspberry Pi computer in a box and have it display @lovequotes tweets. Using a special hashtag, you can surprise a loved one and have the red LED light up with your message. One of the challenges of this project was getting up-to-speed with Python on the Raspberry Pi, while another was using an Epaper display. I actually discovered there was a small error in the tutorial for the device and had the manufacturer tweak it. Anyway, I had hoped to feature a few photos for the “red light” feature, but just never got it to function properly. I’m sure it’s possible and just a matter of some more coding battles. One of the reasons I like this project so much is that it is full of maker spirit with its cardboard, paint and electronics. Hopefully others will be inspired to break the tradition for Valentine’s Day and create their own masterpieces. I created a series of posts on this project, but you can seen the finale here.

Future Possibilities

Although there are plenty of notifications available through smartwatches, fitness bands and computers, they tend to be dull. It’s much like the issue of buying copycat clothing compared to an original hand-made item on Etsy. People yearn for customization and meaning in their devices, as well as something more friendly looking in appearance. Creating notifications through artistic projects or making them available through our environment like Hue lighting seems much more interesting. We have the capability to use cues from visuals, sounds smells and even touch. What if a notification equaled a change in wallpaper pattern, the sudden scent of lilacs or the sway of a houseplant? IoT is just getting its legs, but I think there are many ways to get our information that are less techy and more in line with our environment.

This is a fun spin on the holiday tradition of kissing under mistletoe. A motion sensor triggers the LED berries when a couple stands underneath. Figuring out how to keep the look of the white berries while still concealing LEDs was definitely tricky. I ended up removing the plastic berries and splitting each one with a Dremel. In the end LED sequins are sandwiched between both halves. This is one of my most magical creations as most people don’t expect a traditional bundle of mistletoe to glow. You can check out my tutorial here.

Future Possibilities

The ability to sense motion is used in so many ways—security systems, photography, gates and autos. This type of sensing could become friendlier in the home through a talking service such as AmazonEcho. Imagine a voice saying, “Looks like you have a guest at the door.” It could also be used to electronically open kitchen cabinets that are out of reach by deploying the sensor on a lower level. A new type of pet gate for stairs is another idea. If a person walks towards the sensor it opens; if a pet approaches, it would not be tall enough to trigger the sensor and the gate would stay in place.

This ISS Orbit Skirt was a prototype developed at the NASA Space Apps Challenge Philadelphia with the help of virtual team mate, Brooks Zurn. The time for the International Space Station to orbit the Earth is shown through white LEDs moving around the skirt, while a blue LED at planet Earth indicates a complete orbit. One of the highlights of the piece was the use of NASA’s actual earth image for the iron-on detail. The most difficult part of the project was attempting to keep the conductive thread stitches invisible, as well as the electronics. The microcontroller was hidden in a pocket of the skirt while the battery was in the waistband. Since these LEDs were sequins that had to be individually controlled, they had to each connect to a separate pin on the Lilypad Arduino, causing the stitching to be insane. The project placed third in the competition and local astronomer/judge Derrick Pitts from the Franklin Institute was especially excited asking, “What are you planning for men?. I’ve definitely received a lot of attention wearing it. Yes, I know I still need to get a better video of this!

Future Possibilities

I’m currently working on a related piece for Adafruit and the NASA Datanauts program, so stay tuned! Let’s just say it is better than the skirt and more exciting in capability.

This hat mimics the lights and sounds of the famous ship using NeoPixel LEDs and a piezo buzzer controlled by a GEMMA microcontroller. A light sensor adds to the fun, triggering the action only in dimly lit rooms. It’s a blast to wear and I’ve created a tutorial here. I’m still amazed that the light sensor worked so well hidden under the grommet of the hat. It’s so hard to detect!

Future Possibilities

Light sensors are already used for things that are day/night based, like window shades and lighting. Although my hat is playful, I could see a dark sensing hat as a practical item for a miner or biker. It works well in places where it is awkward to fumble for a switch, such as when wearing bulky gloves or when someone is on the move.

The fact that I’ve incorporated sound for the hat adds another level of potential. For someone blind, it could be helpful to have a navigation hat that creates musical tones when directions are correctly followed. Most often I’ve seen a haptic buzzer, which may be less noticeable, but harder to understand.